Berry box



May 29, 1934. w. F. NEWHOUSE BERRY BOX Filed Oct. 31, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 29, 1934- w. F..NEWHOUSE BERRY BOX Filed Oct. 51. '1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wm fflfew/iouse @Q%Z% Patented May 29, 1934 UNlTE D STATES PArsNr or ies BERRY BOX Walter F. Newhouse, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Application October 31, 1932, Serial No. 640,382

Claims.

This invention relates to containers or receptacles, and more particularly to the so-called berry cups or boxes, made preferably from paper or other sheet material, from a single integral blank folded and stapled together to form the receptacle.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby a container or receptacle of this kind is provided with a folded-over top edge or cuff, which is substantially flushwith the upper edges of the receptacle at all four sides thereof, so that practically no portion of the cuff or folded-over edge projects upwardly above the general upper edge of the container.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features. of construction and combinations tendingto increase the general efliciency and the desirability of a receptacle or container of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the in vention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective of a so-calledberry cup or box embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the blank made of paper or other sheet material, from which the cup or box shown in Fig. 1 is made.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig- 1, showing a different form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the cup or box shown in Fig. 3 is made.

As thus illustrated, referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the invention comprises a blank made of paper or other sheet material, having side wall flaps 1, 2, 3 and 4, connected by fold lines 5, 6, 7 and 8, with the central or middle rectangular bottom section 9, which latter forms the bot- ;tom of the receptacle. Overlapping side flaps 10 and 11 are connected by outwardly diverging fold lines 12 and 13 with the flap 3, as shown, and similar overlapping side flaps 14 and 15 are flexibly connected by fold lines 16 and 17 with the flap 4, previously mentioned, the fold lines 16 and 17, like the fold lines 12 and 13, converging inwardly. The converging lines 18 and 19 are cut through the sheet material, and the converging lines 20 and 21 are also cut through the paper or other sheet material. The flaps 3 and 4 have their upper edges provided with foldable cuff strips 22 and 23, connected thereto by fold lines 24 and 25, and relatively short cuff strips 26 and 27 are connected by the angular fold lines 28 and 29 with the flaps 10 and 11, whereby the cuff strips 26 and 27 are not in alignment with the cuff strip 22, but to the con trary are deflected inwardly, when the blank is spread out flat, as shown in Fig. 2 of the draw- ;ings. The cuff strip 23 has similar angularly disposed cuff strips 30 and 31 connected thereto, and connected to the flaps 14 and 15 by fold lines 32 and 33, as shown. It will be seen that the ends, of the cuff strip 22 are connected by substantially or practically parallel transverse fold lines 34 and 35 with the relatively short strips 26 and 27, and that similar substantially or practically parallel fold lines 36 and 37 connect the relatively long strip 23 with the relatively short strips 30 and 31, in the mamier shown. Or, if desired, the fold lines 34 and 35 may converge slightly outwardly, and the fold lines 36 and 37 may do the same, in order that these relatively short fold lines may be exactly parallel with the fold lines'12 and 13, and 16 and 17, when the blank is in folded condition in the ultimate receptacle;

When the blank shown in Fig. 2 is folded into receptacle form, as shown in Fig. 1, staples 38 are inserted through the flaps at the twoopposite sides of the box, with the end edges of the flaps between the legs of the staples, to hold the flaps 10 and 11, and 14 and 15, in overlapping relation, as shown, and these staples preferably have their points clinched toward each other at 39 on the opposite inner sides of the container.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the construction is substantially the same as that previously described, so far as the top formation of the berry cup or box is concerned, but in this case the blank is formed with cuts 40, at each corner of the middle section 41, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and when the blank is folded in the manner shown in Fig. 3, these cuts 40 result in the formation of short feet or legs 42 at the four bottom corners of the receptacle.

Thus, in each form of the invention, the re-' ceptacle or container is provided with a downwardly folded upper edge portion, that is continuous along two opposite sides of the container, and that extends partially along the other two opposite sides thereof. In this way, the folded upper edges 43, at two, opposite sides of the container, and the folded upper edges 44 at the other two opposite sides of the container, are all substantially or practically flush with the general upper edge of the container, and in particular, the upper edges 44 do not extend above the upper edges ofthe flaps 1 and 2, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, or above the upper edges of the similar flaps shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. This, it will be seen, is because the strips 26 and 27, and 30 and 31, are parallel with the angular outer edges 45 of the flaps 10 and 11, and 14 and 15, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and similar strips and flaps having the same relative arrangement in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In each form of the invention, the edges 45 converge outwardly, when the blank is spread out fiat, and the fold lines 28 and 29, and 32 and 33, are in line with these outwardly converging edges. Therefore, the receptacle or container, in each form of the invention, has a downwardly folded upper edge or cuff formation, providing a stiffening reinforcement around the top of the receptacle, but nowhere is the folded upper edge of the cuff allowed to project above any of the upper edges of the side wall flaps.

Consequently, with the flush upper edge formation thus provided, by the novel form of paper or other blank formed of sheet material, an even upper edge is provided, which is advantageous. For example, there is nothing deceptive about the top line of the receptacle, and the capacity is easily determined. Also, when receptacles of this kind are filled with berries or other fruit, and placed in crates, a divider can then be placed on the lower tier of cups or boxes, and such divider will rest uniformly on practically all of the,,up per edges of the receptacles in this lower tier. In this way, the load weight of the next tier of containers, placed on said divider, which latter is a flat horizontal Wall, is supported uniformly by practically all of the upper edges of the receptacles in the lower tier. In this way, it is easier to accurately load the cups or boxes formed in this manner, and they are more satisfactorily packed in crates forshiprnent.

Receptacles of this kind, it will be observed, ta-

er downwardly, in effect, and are adapted to be nested together for shipment or storage.

The overlapping flaps l0 and 11, and i l and 15, can be fastened in place, when folded, in any suitable or desired manner, but are preferably stapled together in the manner shown and described. In that event, as will be seen, there are.

preferably two staples at each side of the receptacle, the heads of the staples extending horizontally on the outer sides of the receptacles, one above the other, and the staple points being clinched or bent horizontally toward each other on the inner sides of the container. In this way, the overlapping flaps are very securely, and more advantageously and satisfactorily, stapled together and to the side walls of the container.

It will be seen that the end edges of the flaps 10, 11, 1 1, and 15 are practically parallel in the finished box, and that the legs of each and every staple embrace said edges at each side of the box or tray.

t will be seen that the extent of the overlap of the flaps at opposite sides of the receptacle is substantially the same as the distance between the legs of any staple, whereby each flap has its end edge against the legs of both staples. In this way, the double thickness constituting the overlap extends upwardly between the staple legs, and the latter bear against or are close to the end edges of the flaps.

What I claim as my invention is:

1; In a. rectangular receptacle having cuffs on its upper edges, four outwardly inclined side walls and a flat bottom, with right angle corners between said walls, formed from-a single blank, downwardly folded upper edge portions or cuff strips extending along the four upper edges of the receptacle, with a substantial gap or space between the ends of the cuffs at two opposite sides of the receptacle, but with thecufifs continuous or unbroken at the'other two opposite sides, with the folded edges of said strips allhorizontal and practically flush with the four upper edges of the container, said blank having certain edges that are in direct line with the fold lines of certain portions of the cuffs, whereby all of the upper edges of the receptacle are horizontal and practically in the same plane.

- 2. A structure as specifiedin claim 1, two of said cuff strips being continuous along opposite upper edges of the receptacle, and four of said strips extending partially along the other two edges of the receptacle, with the upper folded edges of all of said cuif strips disposed in the same horizontal plane.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said fiat bottom being flush on its lower side, so that the bottom will rest flatwise on a support.

1. A structure as specified in claim 1, said bottom being provided with feet or short legs at the four lower corners of the receptacle.

5. A receptacle of the character described, having cuffs on its upper edge made from a single integral blank, comprising a middle section forming the bottom of the receptacle, inwardly tapered flaps forming the four fiat side walls of the receptacle, outwardly tapered fiaps flexibly connected to the side edges of two of the side wall flaps, to overlap at opposite sides of the receptacle, and foldable cuff strips extending entirely along the outer parallel edges of said two side wall flaps, and obliquely but only partially along the outwardly converging edges of the overlapping flaps, when the blank is spread out flat, the overlapping flaps having edges disposed directly in line with and in extension of the fold lines of certain portions of the cuffs.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5, said cuff strips comprising the relatively long parallel strips 22 and 23 at opposite sides of the blank, and the relatively short strips 26 and 2'7, and 30 and 31, extending angularly from the ends of the strips 22 and 23, substantially as shown and described.

7. A structure as specified in claim 5, said cuff strips comprising relatively longstrips for two opposite sides of the blank, and four relatively short strips flexibly joined to the ends of said relatively long strips, the short strips being disposed at angles to the relatively long strips, and outwardly converging fold lines between the relatively long strips and the relatively short strips.

8. A structure as specified in claim 5, said rectangular middle section being adapted'to rest flatwise on a support, in the ultimate receptacle.

9. A structure as specified in claim 5, said rectangular middle section of the blank being provided with feet or relatively short legs at the lower four corners of the receptacle.

10. A receptacle formed from a single integral blank of sheet material, having four outwardly inclined. side walls, forming in effect a downwardly tapered container, and overlapping flaps at two opposite sides of the receptacle, the end edges of these overlapping flaps being practi.

cally parallel, together with a plurality of staples inserted through each pair of overlapping flaps, and through the adjacent side wall of the container, with the end edges of the flaps between the legs of the staples, the heads of said staples being disposed. horizontally one above another onclinched or bent horizontally toward each other on the inner sides of the container.

WALTERF. NEWHOUSE;

staple embracing said practically 

